


The Love Came Instantly

by IBoatedHere



Series: Turn: Modern AU [1]
Category: Turn (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-09
Updated: 2015-07-09
Packaged: 2018-04-08 10:46:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4301760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IBoatedHere/pseuds/IBoatedHere
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ben is on his second cup of coffee when Caleb comes home still wearing his high rubber boots and smelling like the sea. He stops typing on his laptop long enough to Caleb to kiss him hello before he tosses a manila envelope onto the counter and retreats back to the entryway to pull off his boots. Ben winces when he sees water drip out onto the hardwood. Caleb immediately mops it up using his sock. </p><p>“Are you drinking coffee this late?” He asks when he reenters the kitchen. “You’ll be up all night.”</p><p>"That’s the point.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Love Came Instantly

Ben is on his second cup of coffee when Caleb comes home still wearing his high rubber boots and smelling like the sea. He stops typing on his laptop long enough to Caleb to kiss him hello before he tosses a manila envelope onto the counter and retreats back to the entryway to pull off his boots. Ben winces when he sees water drip out onto the hardwood. Caleb immediately mops it up using his sock. 

“Are you drinking coffee this late?” He asks when he reenters the kitchen. “You’ll be up all night.”

“That’s the point.”

He leans over Ben’s shoulder to look at what he’s working on. “You’ve never had this much work to take home before.”

“That’s because I was never working directly for Agent Bradford before.”

Caleb’s face is priceless and Ben bites his lip to not laugh. 

“You’re kidding me?”

“Director Lee as well.”

“Those assholes?”

“Washington promoted them.”

“Look.” Caleb says as he opens the cabinet above the stove and pulls out a bottle of whiskey. “I know that he’s the President and your idol but sometimes he makes stupid decisions.”

“I’m sure there’s a reason for it. I just wish he would tell me.” Ben mumbles as Caleb unscrews the bottle and leans over the table.

“How ‘bout we Irish up that coffee for you? Take the edge off the day, huh?”

He covers his coffee cup with his hand. He has so much work but as soon as he catches the mischievous look in Caleb’s eye he gives in, like he always does. 

“Ah, thatta boy.” Caleb says softly as he pours. He takes a swig right out of the bottle himself then sits down opposite Ben.

“Why are you home so late?”

“I actually left work early so I could pick up these.” He reaches behind him to grab the envelope and slides it across the table to Ben. “But it took me forever to get through the damn line.” He takes another drink and Ben opens the envelope. Its adoption papers, a stack about an inch thick. 

It shouldn’t come as a surprise and Ben hopes he hides his shock well. They have talked about this in the past, before they got married and after. They agreed that they wanted children- one day. He knows his own father is impatiently waiting for a grandchild and Mary and Abe would like a playmate for Thomas but Caleb hasn’t mentioned anything about it in awhile and Ben has been busy with work so he thought they just let it go. 

Caleb taps his fingers on the table top to get Ben’s attention. “Slide ‘em back over. I’ll fill them out.”

“They probably would have mailed these to us, you know.” 

“Who knows how long that would’ve taken?”

“You know this whole process is going to take years, don’t you? It could be months before they even get back to us the first time. A few days won’t really matter.”

“I just want to get a head start. Maybe it won’t take that long. I mean, look at us. We’re perfect.”

They do look good on paper. 

Ben has a high profile job in the Department of Defense. He meets face to face with the president three times a week and is a graduate of Yale. Caleb runs one of the biggest and most successful fishing fleets off the East Coast. He’s a veteran of the U.S. Navy. They’ve known each other their whole lives, started dating when they were in high school, and were married three years ago. They’ll have no problems getting references. They’re as stable and committed as two people could be. If they fill out the paperwork it will go through. 

“Do you think you should be filling that out while you’re drinking straight from the bottle?”

Caleb stops writing and rocks the bottle back and forth with his free hand. 

“I’ll grab a glass.”

Ben is right about the process being lengthy. Its months of Caleb checking messages and the mail looking for something from the adoption agency.  
Caleb is terrified that he forgot to sign somewhere. Ben reassures him that everything will work out but he’s thankful for the delay. Caleb is ready to jump right in but Ben needs time to plan. 

It’s takes six months for the agency to get back to them (Caleb lets Ben know via text message with a ton of exclamation points and smiley face emojis) and another three before they actually get a meeting. 

Ben wears a suit and has to strong arm Caleb into dress shoes and out of flip flops. 

He’s content to let Caleb do most of the talking so he can focus on hiding his nerves. Her office is covered in drawings and little painted hand prints. It makes him sweat. 

It’s a basic ‘getting to know you’ type of meeting. She’s feeling them out and making sure they’re committed to this. 

She seems to like them, Caleb especially, which doesn’t surprise him. 

Caleb practically skips to the car after the meeting going on and on about how well that went and how this is really happening. Ben only ever wants to make Caleb happy but he’s relieved the meeting is over. 

Caleb pokes him awake at 3:30 the day after the meeting.

Ben has to be up in 2 hours for work.

“I forgot to tell you that we are going to need to change your office into the kid’s room.”

Ben silent and Caleb pokes him again.

“You woke me up to tell me that?”

“I didn’t want to forget to tell you.”

“What’s wrong with the guest room?”

“It’s on the opposite side of the house. That’s too far from us. That’s not safe.”

“Where is my office going to go?”

He hears Caleb sigh and he knows that sigh. It’s his angry sigh.

“I guess it’ll just have to be moved to the spare room. Are you okay with that?”

“Don’t get mad at me.”

“Well you’re being selfish. It’s just an office.”

“I just think that you’re being a bit presumptuous.”

The bed shifts and Caleb turns on the light. It’s blinding and Ben throws his arm over his eyes.

“What the hell does that mean?”

“We don’t even know this is going to work out. Anything could happen. I don’t want you getting your hopes up.”

“I should be more like you then? You’re acting like you’re hoping it doesn’t work out. You know when we had that meeting she pulled me aside because she was concerned about you. She said she didn’t think you were truly ready for this but I defended you because I knew that couldn’t be true. You would’ve told me if something was wrong. I kept this to myself because I didn’t want to make you feel bad but now I think you should know. If something happens, if doesn’t work out, that’s on you.”

He gets up and grabs his pillow. 

“Where are you going?”

“To the guest room, while it’s still just the guest room.”

He slams the door on the way out and Ben doesn’t fall back asleep.

In the morning Ben hands Caleb a thermos of coffee on his way out, like he does every morning, but Caleb just walks past it, grabs his keys off the hook, and walks out the door without saying a word.  
Ben chases after him and has to track him down in the driveway.

“Caleb.” He calls after him. The door to his truck is already open. Ben is still holding the coffee. 

“I’m going to work.” He says plainly.

“Oh.” 

That’s it? No kiss goodbye. No threat of a dirty text message being sent while Ben is in a meeting with Washington? No new limerick he thought of about how much Director Lee sucks as his job?

“Yeah.” 

They stare at each other until a car drives by and honks. Ben recognizes it as their neighbor from a few houses over. Caleb thinks she’s easily two hundred years old and doesn’t understand how she’s still able to drive. She loves the two of them though and it tempers Caleb’s attitude. 

Ben waves absentmindedly then looks back to Caleb. He’s already in his truck and closing the door. Ben takes a few more steps forward. 

“Have a good day.”

Caleb nods and backs his truck into the road and drives away. 

Ben stares after him until he turns the corner. 

He goes inside and calls out sick from work, coughing loudly into the phone then hanging up when Bradford begins to question him. 

The first stop is the hardware store to pick up paint. He spends an hour going back and forth between three different colors before he picks one called ‘Sound Of Nature’. 

Then he goes to the furniture store. It starts with a wall clock with a sailboat on it and it spirals from there. He walks out with nautical themed bedding and wall art and picture frames along with a bed, a night stand, and a matching dresser. 

He drags all the office furniture from the room and down the stairs to the spare room himself. He can barely get the door to close when he’s finished. 

He paints and while the first coat is drying he works on putting the furniture together. He finds the instructions to be unclear and frustrating and he thinks about abandoning the whole project but ultimately powers through. 

Caleb is late to come home. Ben was expecting this. The only good thing about it is that it gave him more time to work.

He’s hanging one of the last pictures, this one of a whale, when he hears Caleb pull into the drive. 

His footsteps sound heavy but steady on the stairs so Ben knows he hasn’t been drinking. He’s more responsible than that. 

Ben meets him on the landing. 

“Hey. Hi.” He wipes his hands on the front of his jeans. He hasn’t felt this nervous in front of Caleb in years; since the first time he kissed him when they were teenagers. 

“Hey.” Caleb shuffles from foot to foot. He looks equally as nervous until his eyes narrow on Ben’s face. “Is that paint on you?”

Ben’s hands go to the side of his face but he knows that it’s splattered everywhere. It’s on his arms and the back of his neck and staining his shirt and pants. 

“Yes, it is. Now come here.” He grabs Caleb’s hand and pulls him into the room then flicks on the light. “What do you think?”

Caleb mouth drops open as he looks around and for a moment Ben is afraid that he hates it. But then his face breaks into a smile and Ben exhales his relief.

“You did all this today?”

Ben nods.

“You didn’t go to work?”

“No. They’re pissed but I’d rather it be them rather than you.”

“Are you going to get in trouble? You do still have a job, don’t you?”

“Hope so.” He makes a sweeping gesture towards the room. “I have to pay all this off somehow. I figured the green is gender neutral and all the decorations….”

“They’ve got boats on them.”

“I thought you’d like that. If you don’t I can take it back and get something else.”

“Don’t touch anything. It’s….amazing. I can’t believe you did all this yourself.”

Ben leans against the door frame. “I wanted to show you that I am serious about this. I do want it. If I didn’t I would’ve told you. It’s important to me that you know that. I’m just nervous about screwing it up. I’ve never done anything like this before.”

“Neither have I.”

“No, but you’re different. You’re already ready for it. You’re already good at it. Look how good you are with Thomas. He walks right past me to you.”

“You’re just fine with him.”

“Do you remember when they brought him home from the hospital? I kept calling him ‘It’. I thought Mary was going to set me on fire.”

“You’ll learn.”

“But what if I don’t?”

“You will. You think Abe had any idea what the hell he was doing when they first had Thomas?”

“I think Abe still has no idea what he’s doing.”

Caleb laughs. “You’re probably right but he’s learning as he goes. And your starting point has to be naturally higher than Abe’s anyways.” He steps up to Ben and slides his hands beneath the fabric of his shirt. “I have all the confidence in the world in you.”

Ben leans in and rests his forehead against Caleb’s. He doesn’t think he has ever loved him more. 

Caleb’s hands move around to his back and dip beneath the waist of his jeans. It’s a clear sign.

“I really need to take a shower.” He’s been working all day. He’s covered in sweat and paint.

“Yeah? What a coincidence.” Caleb whispers, low and hot beneath Ben’s ear. “So do I.”

Over the next few months they have meeting after meeting discussing their references, careers, how much free time they have, and how easy it would be for them to take time off. There are house visits- she likes their large yard and the school system they’re a part of. She thinks the room is adorable.

Caleb gets more and more excited with each successful meeting and Ben just keeps reading more and more books. He feels like he could read every book about parenting that has ever been written and still not be as prepared as Caleb seems to be. 

Two months later they find their daughter. 

Her name is Sarah. She’s four with dark eyes and curly brown hair. 

When they go and meet her in person for the first time it’s Caleb that tells Ben how to dress.

“I want to make a good impression.” Ben explains as Caleb peels the suit jacket off his arms. 

“She’s four. Do you think you’re going to impress her by wearing a tie and shiny shoes?”

“I don’t think I’m going to impress her at all.”

Caleb holds his face in his hands. “You’re going to do just fine.” There’s a quick kiss for confidence then they’re out the door. 

She’s playing with LEGO bricks when they walk in and Caleb shoves Ben toward her first. 

She and Caleb hit it off right away but it takes Ben a few minutes to warm up. Ten minutes later they’re all racing to see who can build the tallest tower. Caleb’s falls first and Ben lets Sara build hers three bricks higher than his before he subtly knocks his own over. 

When they get to the car Caleb grabs his hand.

He’s smiling but his eyes are searching Ben’s face. “Yeah?”

He takes a deep breath and shakes off the remaining nerves. “Yeah…..yeah.” He says it and he means it.

Things do get easier. Ben starts to feel more comfortable and Caleb loves it. They go and get ice cream and she holds both their hands once they get onto the sidewalk and Ben and Caleb smile at each other over her head. They leave with drawings that cover the fridge, the dashboard of their car, Ben’s office and the bridge on Caleb’s ship.

She likes all the boats in her room. She likes the fact that Caleb has a bunch of them even more. Caleb tells her that Ben was the first mate but between the two of them Ben has been slipping and the position is open if she’s interested. She laughs and Ben can’t even pretend to look offended. 

Caleb is better at telling stories (there are voices and hats he wears- it’s actually amazing) but Ben is so much better at braiding hair. Caleb makes the better peanut butter and jelly sandwich but Ben is better at putting her back to bed after a nightmare.

She calls Ben ‘Dad’ and Caleb ‘Daddy’ and she tells them she loves them the first time kind of offhandedly while they’re having dinner one night. They say it back-they’ve been saying it all along- and they hold it together until after they put her to bed and if they cry a little bit over it they’re not going to speak of it to anyone else. 

They’re tired all the time but they love it. They wouldn’t change a thing and they’re more than ready to make it official.

Caleb shocks the hell out of Ben by stepping down the stairs wearing a suit. 

Sarah is spinning around in her dress and Ben steps into Caleb’s space. He straightens his tie and tells him he looks nice.

“This is the kind of thing you dress up for, Tallboy.” 

Everyone shows up for the ceremony. Abe, Mary and Thomas, Anna, Selah, Ben’s father and Caleb’s uncle. President Washington sends a note of congratulations and a stuffed pony for Sarah. 

Caleb signs first and hands the pen to Ben. 

“You ready?”

There’s no hesitation when Ben signs the form.

**Author's Note:**

> I think Caleb's character is always up for anything. I think he's like "Yes! An adventure! Lets go!" I think Ben needs time to think and plan. He's "Alright, lets go but first let me grab a map."
> 
> I also think Caleb would be much better with kids. If the gang was all hanging out together and Thomas started to cry I think Ben would just talk over him and wait it out. Caleb would be like 'pass the little shit to me' and he'd bounce him on his lap and let him wear his hat and pull on his beard until he stopped crying. Then he'd pass him off and go on with his business.


End file.
